Streetcar opponents rally at county meeting

By Eva Ruth Moravec :
March 11, 2014
: Updated: March 11, 2014 5:51pm

Commissioner Tommy Adkisson listens as opponents of the streetcar address Bexar County commissioners during the public comment period on Tuesday to protest the downtown streetcar in commissioners' first post-primary meeting.

Photo By Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News

Stanley Mitchell addresses the Bexar County commissioners during the public comment period on Tuesday March 11, 2014 to protest the downtown streetcar in commissioners' first post-primary meeting.

Photo By Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News

Stanley Mitchell addresses the Bexar County commissioners during the public comment period on Tuesday March 11, 2014 to protest the downtown streetcar in commissioners' first post-primary meeting.

Photo By Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News

Bobbie Mueller addressed the Bexar County commissioners during the public comment period on Tuesday to about the upcoming Miley Cyrus concert.

Photo By Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News

A reader commends local activist Bobbie Mueller, shown here at a meeting of the Bexar County commissioners to discuss the recent Miley Cyrus concert, for her crusade against profanity in pop music.

More Information

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio streetcar opponents spoke on Tuesday in Bexar County Commissioners Court, asking officials to halt any action on the $280 million project, or at least put it off a few months.

Their goal: To encourage commissioners to instruct VIA to not allow for any long-term streetcar contracts until at least November, when voters will choose a new county commissioner for Precinct 4 and, anti-streetcar groups hope, have a chance to vote on a San Antonio charter amendment to keep the city's right-of-way from being used for a streetcar.

Both the Republican and Democratic primaries for the East Side seat will be determined in May runoffs, and anti-streetcar groups are trying to ensure that whoever is elected will share their streetcar sentiment.

“We're trying to help the commissioners understand that it's not a done deal,” said Dick Slife, one of a half-dozen speakers who oppose the streetcar plan. “No matter which side wins in the election, we're going to have someone who opposes streetcar.”

The groups are also backing Republican Carlton Soules in the general election race against Judge Nelson Wolff, a Democrat and streetcar supporter. If Soules is successful in unseating the longtime judge, Slife said, two of the five court members will be anti-streetcar.

Meanwhile, anti-streetcar groups are circulating a petition in hopes of forcing a November election on the San Antonio city charter that would keep the city from releasing any right-of-way for streetcar use.

Slife said the petition needs 20,000 signatures by July.

After the public comments were complete, Wolff told attendees that their comments would be shared with VIA, who had a representative in the audience.

In other court news, commissioners unanimously approved a burn ban, which goes into effect immediately and lasts until June 9 and prohibits residents in unincorporated Bexar County from outdoor burning.

People may burn trash or domestic waste only if they use a burn barrel with a wire mesh screen.

More on this developing story at ExpressNews.com and in tomorrow's paper.